The Neolithic transition in Europe: archaeological models and genetic evidence

The major pattern in the European gene pool is a southeast-northwest frequency gradient of classic genetic markers such as blood groups, which population geneticists initially attributed to the demographic impact of Neolithic farmers dispersing from the Near East. Molecular genetics has enriched thi...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Martin Richards
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Znanstvena založba Filozofske fakultete Univerze v Ljubljani (Ljubljana University Press, Faculty of Arts) 2003-01-01
Series:Documenta Praehistorica
Subjects:
Online Access:https://revije.ff.uni-lj.si/DocumentaPraehistorica/article/view/2202
Description
Summary:The major pattern in the European gene pool is a southeast-northwest frequency gradient of classic genetic markers such as blood groups, which population geneticists initially attributed to the demographic impact of Neolithic farmers dispersing from the Near East. Molecular genetics has enriched this picture, with analyses of mitochondrial DNA and the Y chromosome allowing a more detailed exploration of alternative models for the spread of the Neolithic into Europe. This paper considers a range of possible models in the light of the detailed information now emerging from genetic studies.
ISSN:1408-967X
1854-2492